February 06, 2006

Do We Want A War With Islam?

Hugh Hewitt asks the following questions: "Are we at war with Islam? Do you want a war with Islam?"

Of course we don't, at least we shouldn't. As I've stated earlier these cartoons are morally wrong although the author has a right to have them published (if anyone wants to publish them) and nobody should fear for their safety because of any association with the cartoons. How should Christians behave with this? Is it a good thing for Christians to publicly mock another faith? How does that help our ultimate mission, to spead the love of Jesus?

We are at war with terrorism not Islam. Just because the terrorists are Islamic does not mean we go after all Islam. The people who are burning down buildings over this cartoon are terrorists and we will need to deal with them eventually.

UPDATE: I want to clarify my last sentence in this post. The people who are burning down buildings are acting like terrorists. If they continue down this path and eventually go further in committing terrorist acts then we will eventually be forced to deal with them.

Am with you Jeremiah , what happen in Syria and Lebanon was a reaction of losing control and Muslims dont want a war with anyone. but dont you think that the cartoons were insulting? it did hurt me as a muslim as it would if it was about Jesus drown and published by an atheist paper.

Posted by: lilly at February 7, 2006 12:08 AM

Lilly,

Yes, they were insulting to those Muslims who do not take part in terrorism. And to your question, it is not a hypothetical question that Jesus is maligned and slandered by not only atheist papers, but by nearly all media. That is one of the complaints that rises to the surface in my soul the most. It is a symptom of our media's bias against Christianity and fear of Islam that it isn't even mentioned with Christ is slandered by cartoons or articles.

Finally, I think that something is lost in the discussion of whether the cartoon is insulting or not. Of course it is insulting. It was intended to be an insult directed at terrorists (though it has caused significant collateral insult damage). Now that we have extablished that it is insulting and even inappropriate, we should not forget to ask, is there anything that the cartoon itself has to teach. Why is there so much violence perpetrated in the name of Islam? That is not an answer, it is a question that the cartoon raises. Is there a connection between the teaching of Mohammed and terrorism?

I confess ignorance. I don't know the teachings. All I see is the violence. That is how it works for all religions. Rarely is the religion judged by its teaching, it is most often judged by what is most prominently seen. That is why Christ taught us that the world would know that Jesus is the Son of God by the way that we love one another. Jesus is God's Son whether I love my brother or not, but the world will only believe that it is true if I follow what He has taught.

I don't know what to say. But anyone that kills another person in the name of god, allah or hebe gebe is an absolute fruit cake. It just seems like to me that the people in the middle east (yes I have lived there before) have many more things to worry about. If the Imam would spend more time getting educations for their children and sanitary living conditions for their people and less time insiting violence they would be much better off.

As a Christian. As a recent graduate of an Intercultural Studies degree program. And as a Marine stationed in Iraq... I struggle with the current Global War on Terror. Who is the enemy? Is it the terrorists? Is it Islam? Is it Muslim terrorists? Can the two be separated? Sin is involved but is it a war of Good vs. Sin? God vs Allah? The U.S. against any of the above? It's not a Holy War but Sin is involved (as in all wars) and can the U.S. military win against Sin? Should the Southern Baptist Convention be leading the campaign? These are questions too deep for my jar head... in any case, the recent events involving the cartoons reveal a belief system that is, for lack of a more eloquent term, "messed up."